Elderly Man Defrauded of ₹19.6 Lakh by Fraudsters Posing as Spiritual Gurus in Gujarat
Fraudsters in Gujarat tricked a 76-year-old man into transferring ₹19.6 lakh by posing as spiritual gurus promising divine blessings.
Valsad, October 30 (Daily Kiran) : In Valsad, Gujarat, police have arrested three additional suspects involved in defrauding a 76-year-old man of more than ₹19.6 lakh. The arrests were made following a complaint that the elderly victim was deceived by individuals posing as spiritual gurus, promising divine blessings and doubling his money.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Mahboob Sheikh (23), Sarfaraz Pathan (39), and Sahilmiya Sheikh (23). They were apprehended in Virpur, located in the Mahisagar district, by the Valsad Cyber Crime Police team after an investigation.
The fraudulent activity took place on April 29, when the suspects contacted the victim’s father through the internet. Claiming to be spiritual leaders, they convinced him that they could secure blessings from the goddess and double his stagnant funds.
The suspects provided various bank account details, persuading the victim to deposit money into them. In total, the elderly man was defrauded of ₹19,60,500.
The Valsad Cyber Crime Police registered a case under sections 318(4) and 61(2) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Earlier, five suspects had already been arrested, while six others were declared wanted.
To track down the remaining suspects, the cyber crime team analyzed social media accounts, bank transactions, and call detail records of relatives, friends, and associates. They also gathered local intelligence to aid their investigation.
On October 26, police received a tip-off about Mahboob Sheikh’s whereabouts near Dev Chowk in Balasinor, leading to his surveillance and subsequent arrest. During questioning, information about the other two wanted suspects, Sarfaraz Pathan and Sahilmiya Sheikh, emerged, resulting in their capture in Virpur.
According to police reports, Sarfaraz Pathan works as a driver and resides near a water tank in the Timba Fali area of Virpur. Sahilmiya Sheikh runs a pan shop and lives close to Desai CM High School in the town. Mahboob Sheikh is employed and resides opposite Yogeshwar Park Society. Further questioning of all three suspects is ongoing.
In light of the incident, police have urged the public to be cautious of claims made by individuals promising to double money through occult practices or religious rituals, warning that these can be outright scams. They advised individuals not to transfer money to unknown callers or share personal information. For any suspicious calls or if someone falls victim to cyber fraud, they should contact the national cyber crime helpline at 1930 or report to the nearest police station.
